Slide binder clamping apparatus



Jan. 13, 1953 1.. E. CHAMBERLAIN 2,625,197

SLIDE BINDER CLAMPING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E E3 F/G/ /2 i X l I IS 1N VEN TOR. LAWRENCE E. CHAMBERLAIN BY flea A TTORNE Y8 Jan. 13, 1953 1.. E. CHAMBERLAIN 2,625,197

sums BINDER CLAMPING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. LAWRENCE E. CHAMBERLAIN A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE SLIDE BINDER CLAMPING APPARATUS Lawrence E.Chamberlain, Mansfield, Ohio Application December 1, 1950, Serial No.198,627

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates .to improvements in slide binder clampingapparatus used in binding together glass slides having photographic filmtransparencies placed between the slides.

Several devices have been proposed for holding glass slides with a filmtransparency therebetween while tape is bound around the edges of theslides whereby the transparency is protected by the slides and the tapebinding. One of the objeots of this invention is to provide an apparatuswhich is an improvement upon these prior devices, which is simple inconstruction, which requires relatively few parts which permits quickand easy application of the tape of the-slides, and which permitsunrestricted rotation of the slides while the tape is being boundthereon.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type referred to havingquickly releasable and quickly engageable rotatable clamping discs forholdin the slides properly while the binding tape is placed thereon.

A further object is to provide novel means for quickly separating theclamping discs and for holding them apart when it is necessary to removebound slides and replace them with others to be bound. Specifically,such means embodies a set of balls arranged in semi-sphericaldepressions formed in one of the clamp supports and in a freely mountedoperating disc, whereby rotation of the operating disc will cause axialmovement of one of the clamp shafts to separate the clamping discs andhold them apart until further rotation of the operating disc permits theaxially movable clamp shaft to be returned by spring action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view,

Fig. 2 is a partial section taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken in the direction indicated by line 3-3of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the clamping discs in open position,

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan of the clamping discs in open position,taken in the direction indicated by line 5--5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 65 of Fig. 1,and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of two glass slides with a transparencytherebetween with binding tape partially applied thereto, part of thetape being broken away for clarity.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral |0 designates a, generallyrectangular base having an integral, uniform, downwardly extendingflange H, and a plurality of rubber feet l2, in this instance one ateach cornerof the base, arrangedto support the bas slightly above atable or the like, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Adjacent the rear of base It a vertical support or post I3 is suitablyfixed to the base, and carries a shaft M near its upper end, on whichshaft 2. reel l5 carrying a supply of binding tape I6 is rotatablymounted. In this instance shaft It takes the form of a threaded :bolthaving an integral head ll atone end-while a'nut I8 is threaded on theother end of the shaft. A split dished, friction washer I9 is mountedbetween head I? and reel 15, the arrangement being such that freedom ofrotation of reel It: may be controlled by tightening or loosening nut18.

Near the front of the base If] a pair of spaced, vertical clamp supportsor posts 20 and 2| are suitably secured to the base. In this instanceposts 20 and 2| are secured by screws 22 which extend through the baseIt and into the hollow body portion of the posts. Posts I3, 20 and 2|are substantially similar in construction and arrangement, except thatposts 20 and2| face each other as shown in .Fig. 6, while the outersurface of the upper portion of post 2| is provided with depressionswhich will be referred to later.

In its upper portion, post 20 carries a fixed clamp shaft 23 which isthreaded into the post and locked in desired position by a lock nut 24.The inner end of shaft 23 is enlarged as at '25 and receives a threadedstub shaft 26 on which a clamping disc 21 is freely rotatable. The innerface of disc 2115 provided at its outer end with an annular rubberfriction member 28, bonded o-r otherwise suitably secured thereto.

Post 2|, in its upper portion, carries a rotatabl clamp shaft 29 whichis also axially movable in the post under certain conditions. The innerend of shaft '29 is enlarged as at 30 and has a clamping disc 3| securedon the end thereof so as to be rotatable with the shaft 29. In thisinstance disc 3| is tightly secured to the end of shaft 29 bymeans of asmall screw 32 threaded through the disc and into the shaft. An annularrubber friction member '33, similar to member 28, is bonded or otherwisesecured to the inner face of disc 3| at its outer end. Surrounding shaft29 The outer end of shaft 29 is threaded at 36 to receive the threadedsleeve portion 31 of a turning knob 38 which is locked in desiredposition on shaft 29 by a small locking screw 39 threaded into the knob.Between the inner end of sleeve 31 and the outer face 40 of the upperend portion of post 2|, an operating disc 4| having a thumb engagingprojection 42 is rotatably mounted on shaft 29. The outer face 40 ofpost 2| is provided with a plurality of spaced, semisphericaldepressions 43, in this instance three, each of which depressionsreceives a ball 44 of slightly less diameter than the diameter of saiddepressions. A similar number of semi-spherical depressions 45 slightlylarger in diameter than balls 44 is also formed in the inner face 46 ofoperating disc 4|. When the faces 40 and 46 are in contact, eachdepression 45 is opposite and substantially complemental to one of thedepressions 43 so that substantially completely round cavities are thenprovided for the balls 44. In the contacting position of the faces 40and 46, shaft 29 and disc 3| are in their innermost position, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 3, as well as in the solid line position ofFig. 6.

Now, if the operating disc 41 is turned by means of the thumb projection42, the depressions 45 will act as cam surfaces riding outwardly onballs 44, which act as cams, thus forcing the disc 4| to move outwardly,as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, and in the broken line position of Fig.6. Since the outer face of disc 4| is in contact with the inner end ofsleeve 37. outward movement of disc 4| will also move knob 38, shaft 29and disc 3| outwardly against the action of spring 35, so that theclamping discs 28 and 3| are then separated to their greatest extent. Aslong as depressions 45 are out of contact with balls 44, as indicated inFigs. 4 and 5, the clamping discs 21 and 3| will remain in their extremeseparated position, and this position may be maintained even though thethumb is removed from projection 42. When operating disc 4| is rotatedfrom its position in Figs. 4 and to its position in Figs. 1 and 3,depressions 45 will again become complemental to depressions 43, andspring 35 acting against the enlarged head 30 of shaft 29 will returnall the axially movable parts to their innermost position. Thus, theballs 44 and the semi-spherical depressions 43 and 45 provide rollingcam means for quickly separating the clamping discs 21 and 3 I, whilethe spring 35 provides means for quickly returning the clamping disc toclamping position.

In use, a pair of rectangular shaped glass slides 41 having a filmtransparency 48 located between them, is placed between the openclamping discs 2'! and 3|, as indicated in Fig. 5. The operating disc 4|is now rotated sufficiently to permit disc 3| to move into engagementwith one slide 41 and efiiciently clamp the slides and transparencybetween the discs 21 and 3|, as indicated in Fig. 1 and in the full lineposition of Fig. 6. It will also be observed from Figs. 1 and 3 thatwhen the slides and transparency are properly clamped between theclamping discs, they are in proper alignment with the reel l5 so thatbinding tape l6 may be pulled from the reel and its adhesive side placedinto contact with the upper edge of the slides. Since the tape I6 iswider than the combined edges of the slides, part of the tape is pressedon the sides of the slides for better adhesion. When a corner isreached, the side portions of the tape may be slit, as at 49, to permitan overlap at this point. After the upper edge has been taped, theslides may be rotated to bring up the next and succeeding edges untilthe taping operation is complete. Rotation of the slides may beaccomplished by merely turning the knob 38, which will rotate shaft 29and disc 3|, and since disc 21 is freely rotatable on sub-shaft 26, thefrictional engagement between members 28 and 33 on the clamping discs,and the side faces of the glass slides held between the discs, issufficient to permit rotation of the slides and transparency.

When the taping operation on one pair of slides is completed, theclamping discs may be quickly separated by rotating the operating disc4| to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to permit ready removal ofthe finished slides. A new pair of slides and a transparency may then beplaced in position against disc 21 and disc 4| is then rotated to itsposition in Figs. 1 and 3, after which spring 35 will move clamping disc3| so that the slides will be quickly and properly clamped, ready to betaped.

While I have shown and described one form of the invention, it will beunderstood that the invention is not limited to this form, and thatchanges and modifications may be mad therein without departing from thespirit of the invention or from the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a base, a pair of separableclamps mounted upon said base and adapted to support glass slidestherebetween, means for directing binding tape to the top edge of saidslides, and rolling cam means for separating said clamps.

2. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 1 wherein afterseparating said clamps said rolling cam means holds said clamps inseparated position, and spring means to return said clamps to clampingposition.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a base, a pair of spacedsupports mounted on said base, a rotatable clamp carried by eachsupport, at least one of said clamps being axially movable toward theother clamp so as to support glass slides between the clamps and movableaway from the other clamp to separate the clamps, means for directingbinding tape to the top edge of said slides, and rolling cam means foraxially moving said movable clamp to separate the clamps.

4. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 3 wherein after separatinsaid clamps said rolling cam means holds said clamps in separatedposition, and spring means to axially move said movable clamp toclamping position.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a base, a pair of spacedvertical posts mounted upon said base, a fixed horizontal shaft mountedon one of said posts and carrying a clamping disc at its inner end, anaxially movable horizontal shaft mounted on the other post and carryinga clamping disc at its inner end, spring means for moving said movableshaft and disc toward said fixed shaft and disc, and rolling cam meansfor moving said movable shaft and disc away from said fixed shaft anddisc, said last named means also holding said clamping discs inseparated position.

6. Apparatus of the character described in claim 5 wherein said rollingcam means comprises an operating disc rotatable on said axially movableshaft and having a plurality of semispherical depressions therein, saidpost for said movable shaft also having a plurality of semisphericaldepressions therein complementary to said first depressions, and ballslocated in said depressions.

7. In apparatus of the character described, the sub-combination of apair of spaced vertical supporting posts, a fixed clamp carried by oneof said posts, an axially movable clamp carried bythe second post,spring means for moving the latter clamp toward the fixed clamp, andmeans for moving the movable clamp away from said fixed clamp againstthe action of said spring means comprising, a shaft fixed to saidmovable clamp and movable axially in said second post, a plurality ofspaced semi-spherical depressions in one face of said second post, aball carried in each depression, and an operating disc rotatable on saidshaft and having a semi-spherical depression to receive each ball, thearrangement being such that upon rotation of said operating disc saidballs act as cams to axially move said disc, said shaft and said movableclamp.

8. A sub-combination as defined in claim 7 wherein the diameter of saiddepressions is slightly greater than the diameter of said balls.

9. A sub-combination as defined in claim 7 wherein said operating discremains in fixed position after said rotation until further rotation ofsaid disc aligns the depressions in said disc and said secondpostrespectively.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the sub-combination of asupporting post, an axially movable shaft carried by said post, aclamping disc on one end of said shaft, a sleeve fixed on the other endof said shaft, spring means between said disc and said post for axiallymoving said shaft in one direction, an operating disc between saidsleeve and said post and rotatable on said shaft, rolling cam meanscooperating with said post and said operating disc whereby upon rotationof said operating disc said shaft will be axially moved in the oppositedirection, and a second clamping disc in operative relation with saidfirst clamping disc.

11. A sub-combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said rolling cammeans includes spaced semi-spherical depressions located in adjacentfaces of said post and said operating disc, and balls in saiddepressions.

12. A sub-combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said rolling cammeans includes spaced semi-spherical depressions located in adjacentfaces of said post and said operating disc, and balls in saiddepressions, said depressions in said operating disc being of slightlygreater diameter than the diameter of said balls.

LAWRENCE E. CHAMBERLAIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,900,852 Kuppersmith Mar. 7,1933 2,251,016 Gallimore July 29, 1941 2,278,775 Fiorentino Apr. 7, 19422,496,406 Patrick Feb. 7, 1950 2,528,754 Johnson Nov. 7, 1950

